Croatian sausage “Baranjski Kulen” promoted in EP

“Baranjski Kulen”, a type of flavoured sausage made of minced pork that is traditionally produced in eastern Croatia, was promoted on Wednesday in the European Parliament at an event organised by Biljana Borzan, a Croatian member of the European Parliament and the association of producers of this meat delicacy.

The promotion was held in the run-up to Brussels’ decision to grant this autochthonous Croatian product the status of protected geographical indication (PGI) throughout the EU. Currently, kulen has this status in Croatia only.

The spiced meat for kulen is stuffed and pressed into bags made of pork intestine, and formed into links that are usually around ten centimetres in diameter. Pieces of kulen are smoked for several months, using certain types of wood. After the smoking, they are air-dried for another several months.

A representative of producers said in Brussels that she hoped kulen would find its market niches Europe. Borzan said that sales of PGI products in the EU turned over EUR 54.3 billion annually and that she was hopeful that Baranjski Kulen would soon become a part of that family.